The present invention relates to a flexible magnetic disc apparatus capable of loading and unloading a disc-shaped recording medium and, more particularly to, a flexible magnetic disc apparatus having a recording medium unloading mechanism for unloading a recording medium.
FIG. 9 is a perspective view showing an information processing apparatus in which a conventional flexible magnetic disc apparatus disclosed in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 62-180579, for example, is installed. In FIG. 9, reference numeral 50 is a disc-shaped recording medium, 51 is a flexible magnetic disc apparatus (which may sometimes be referred to as FDD) arranged for loading and unloading the recording medium 50 and for recording and reproducing information in connection with the loaded recording medium 50, 52 is a cover for protecting a recording medium insertion port of the FDD 51, 53 is a personal computer which is an information processing apparatus instructing the FDD 51 to record the information on the recording medium 50 or instructing the FDD 51 to reproduce the recording information from the recording medium 50. The personal computer 53 comprises the flexible magnetic disc apparatus 51 and the cover 52 as its components.
The operation will now be described. FIG. 10 is an explanatory view showing the opening and closing operation of the cover, FIG. 11a is an explanatory view showing the position of a button portion of the flexible magnetic disc apparatus with the recording medium loaded and FIG. 11b is an explanatory view showing the position of a button portion of the flexible magnetic disc apparatus before the recording medium is loaded. In FIGS. 10, 11a and 11b, the same reference numerals designate identical or corresponding components as those shown in FIG. 9 so that their explanations will be omitted. On FIG. 10, 53a is a FDD protective space provided in the personal computer 53 and arranged in such a manner that it covers the space for a button portion 51a (see FIGS. 11a and 11b) disposed in a recording medium unloading mechanism (not shown).
Also, reference numeral 54 is a hinge loading portion provided on the personal computer 53 for rotatably supporting the cover 52 in directions A and B.
In FIGS. 11a and 11b, 51a is a button portion disposed in a recording medium unloading mechanism (not shown) for loading and unloading the recording medium 50 (see FIG. 10) relative to the FDD 51. The button portion 51a is caused to project by a predetermined length by the recording medium unloading mechanism when the recording medium 50 is loaded, and when the projecting portion is depressed in the direction opposite to the direction of projection, the recording medium 50 is unloaded by the recording medium unloading mechanism. Reference characters C shows the direction in which the recording medium 50 is loaded and D shows the direction in which the recording medium 50 is unloaded.
In order to load the recording medium 50 to FDD 51, the cover 52 is opened to allow the recording medium 50 to be inserted into the recording medium insertion port (not shown) and the recording medium 50 is moved in the direction C to load it into the FDD 51 through the recording medium insertion port.
At this time, the button portion 51a is moved within the FDD protective space 53a from the position prior to the medium insertion as shown in FIG. 11b to the position after the medium insertion as shown in FIG. 11a. That is, the button portion 51a is projected in the unloading direction D by a predetermined distance by the recording medium unloading mechanism.
Thereafter, the cover 52 is closed so that the button portion 51a is not subjected to an unintended external force such as when caught by something.
When it is desired to unload the recording medium 50 from the FDD 51, the cover 52 is opened and the button portion 51a is depressed into the loading direction C by a predetermined distance. The depression of the button portion 51a causes the recording medium unloading mechanism (not shown) with which the button portion 51a is provided to move the recording medium into the unloading direction D to unload the recording medium 50 from the FDD 51.
In the conventional flexible magnetic disc apparatus or FDD 51, in order to prevent the button portion 51a from being damaged or the recording medium unloading mechanism from being damaged by an unintended external force exerted upon the button portion 51a, or the button portion 51a from being depressed in the loading direction C by an unintended external force and accidentally unload the recording medium 50, the provision is made of the cover 52 and the FDD protective space 53a so that the unintended external force is not applied to the button portion 51a. Therefore, the miniaturization of the personal computer 53 is difficult.